THE ALSICO ACADEMY
sustainability
As a company, we want to contribute to an economy that respects the planet's boundaries and guarantees basic social rights. We want to take this responsibility by systematically including ecological, social, and economic considerations in our daily policy.
Sustainability
how we get there
In a world facing urgent challenges like climate change, resource shortages, and social inequality, the alsico group is stepping up to make a difference. Our commitment to sustainability isn’t just a trend; it’s at the heart of our mission to create lasting value for our employees, customers, suppliers, and communities.
To drive meaningful change, we implement targeted actions focused on continuous improvement. These efforts are reflected in our sustainability goals and objectives, and we transparently report on our progress in our sustainability report. All of this is guided by the SDGs, stakeholder input, regulatory developments and our commitment to doing better.
We take responsibility for the impact we have on people and the planet, by actively reducing our negative impact whilst increasing our positive impact.
Vincent Siau, Head of the alsico academy
why we care
As a family-owned business, we measure success by the future we leave behind for people, the planet, and shared prosperity. Our responsibility begins at the drawing board, guiding the materials we choose, the lifespan of every garment, and the way we treat everyone in our supply chain. But designing responsibly is no longer enough. The apparel industry still releases greenhouse gases faster than they are removed, so simply “offsetting” will not solve the problem. We therefore commit to go beyond net-zero: once our own operations reach that milestone, we will push toward carbon-negative impact. Removing more CO₂ than we emit.
our strategy
the better future system
We reduce our negative impact and create lasting value. Our roadmap is build around three pillars: people, planet and operations.
We want to do the right things, but we also want to do things right. Therefore, we have created the Better Future System. We are engineers. We know how to run efficient factories, how to make great and qualitative garments. We are process driven and know how important assurance systems, like our quality assurance system, are. We simply applied the principles of a robust assurance system with processes and preventive and corrective actions, to our sustainability program.
from commitment to action
We not only established a sustainability strategy, but we also made sure its implementation through task forces is wide-spread throughout our group. We don’t have a sustainability department per say, sustainability has become a way of doing things and has seeped through every part of our organization, anchored in our DNA. We have established our objectives over 3-time horizons, and over three topics: environmental, social and governance.
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social
people
We care deeply about people, their well-being, growth, and respect. Learning and development are part of how we work, giving everyone the chance to grow. We commit to a Living Wage for all, ensuring fair and respectful pay. Across our supply chain, we promote workplaces that are safe, healthy, supportive, and engaging.
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environmental
planet
We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and advancing sustainable practices across everything we do. Greenhouse gas emissions are lowered through material sourcing and energy performance is improved with a growing shift toward renewables. We protect and promote biodiversity throughout our operations. Our approach to chemistry supports safe and responsible innovation.
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governance
operations
Our operations are designed to be more efficient and ethical. Transparency guides how we work, with clear accountability across the business and supply chain. We're compliant with all relevant regulations and standards, ensuring every step meets legal and ethical expectations. Quality is built into everything we do, with high standards at the core of every product and service.
how we create impact today
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material sourcing
83% of our emissions come from the materials we source. That’s why we set up an action plan to phase out our virgin fossil synthetics and focus on recycled and regenerative fibres.
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arx
In 2024, we reclaimed 1.8% of end-of-life garments compared to the volume placed on the market that year. We also offered repair and second-life solutions to help extend product lifespan.
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living wage
We are committed to paying living wages that go beyond legal minimums. Since 2022, we've set living wage benchmarks at our production sites in Madagascar, Laos, Morocco and Tunisia.
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renewable energy
7 out of 15 of our locations generate their own renewable energy and our sites in Belgium are powered by 100% renewable energy making them Net Zero for scope 2 emissions.
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biodiversity
We support various biodiversity restoration projects like Graîne de vie (tree nursery) and Madagascar Whale shark project to help restore our planet.
verified efforts and responsible partnerships
Oekotex STeP
Currently, our facilities in Madagascar, Laos, Tunisia, Morocco and Mexico hold OEKO-TEX® STeP certification. These sites have undergone independent assessments and are regularly reviewed in line with the criteria of the standard.
Oekotex Standard 100
This certification ensures textiles are tested for harmful substances, helping protect the health of wearers. It supports our commitment to safety and responsible sourcing.
Better Cotton Initiative
As part of a broader commitment to sustainability, partnership with Better Cotton supports the global improvement of cotton farming. Since 2021, the goal has been to source only preferred fibres by 2040, with 100% of our cotton as BCI Cotton, recycled cotton, organic cotton, Fairtrade cotton etc.
GRS
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) ensures verified recycled content and responsible production practices. At Alsico, several units including Alsico Laucuba, Alsico Europe, E-toile, and Coupe Inter (Alsico Tunisia) — are GRS certified, reinforcing our commitment to traceability and circularity where possible.
we are continuously working on making a positive impact on the environment and the people
As a company, we want to contribute to an economy that respects the planet's boundaries and guarantees basic social rights. We want to take this responsibility by systematically including ecological, social, and economic considerations in our daily policy.
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our olive oil production
In the olive groves of Tunisia, our colleague Ridha Souissi and his father Tijeni produce extra virgin olive oil from their family garden, carrying on a tradition rooted in care and craftsmanship. As a proud family-owned company, alsico is proud to support their work and the values it represents.
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Madagascar whale sharks
Alsico is proud to back the Madagascar Whale Shark Project’s research on baby whale sharks. These gentle giants are essential to marine ecosystems, and understanding their early stages is crucial for their conservation.
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Madagascar tree nursery
In the vibrant landscapes of Madagascar, alsico has established a dedicated tree nursery as part of its commitment to offset emissions. Since 2018, alsico has already planted more than 253,000 trees, making a positive environmental impact through the initiative.
meet our sustainability expert
Pauline Latruwe
Sustainability & Education Coordinator
Pauline Latruwe
Sustainability & Education Coordinator
Pauline graduated as a fashion technologist in Gent. That’s where her interest in product quality in the workwear and PPE industry ignited. She started her career at the Belgian federation of companies active in fashion, clothing and manufacturing. There she gave industry-related advice on quality, safety and sustainability topics.
She mainly worked on public procurements for governance instances. She was writing the technical file and setting requirements, evaluating the entries and production.
Pauline believes that with quality comes sustainability. It’s not a checkbox for a company but needs to be intertwined within every process. Alsico has that mindset. And with alsico striving to be the voice of the industry it was only logical to want to be part of this team and make a change.
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